Wednesday, 13 June 2018

Two To Mango?

What is it? A grand show of mangoes, orchard visit, delicacies,
storytelling, quizzes and fun rides

Sparkle Meter:-

Green orchards, a warm sunrise encapsulating soft dewy breeze,
trees laden with ripe fruits, humming of birds and a fragrance that fills up
the senses with delectable ecstasy. This is the world of mangoes every summer
morning!

If you are among those who think of mangoes not just as a national
fruit but as a bundle of sweet memories from childhood that have gone behind savouring
it for consecutive summers, this is one event customised to your taste. The
Annual Mango Festival 2018 is around the corner, tingling our taste buds to
unlimited varieties of desi mangoes, already. You would have heard about
Chausa, Langda, Dashahri, Alphonso or Safeda but it could only be here, in
these few days, that you would get to taste Lakhnavi Gola, Tamancha, Lalbebaha (Wajid Ali Shah’s favourite), Ali
Gauhar or Tarifi.

Why You Must Attend The Festival?

Amongst tens of reasons that the festival may claim its stake
on, here are few really unmissable ones:-

(1) Orchard Visit:

Scheduled on the 17th
of June 2018 is an Orchard visit to the Abbasi Orcahrd at Kakori. A rare opportunity to
feel the exemplary experience of orchard farming first hand, as well interacting
with the farmers whose produce we relish without even getting to thank them
once. Here’s the chance! Besides, the organisers promise a special
Awadhi breakfast, tractor and horse rides across the farm, some fun contests and
historic tour with informative inputs on organic farming. Platter costs -- non-veg @Rs. 500/-, veg. platter @Rs. 400, children platter @Rs. 300/- and no charges for kids below five years of age.

(2) The Mango
Diversity Fair at Lucknow is in association with the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research and CISH, creating an interface between farmers and
scientists to share their best practices with us. Also, getting us to taste rare
local mangoes, around 700 varieties unavailable anywhere else across the country, is equally fascinating. The cost of mangoes range from Rs. 50/- per kilo to a few hundreds at the most. There are no gate entry or parking charges.

(3) Being a part pf enthralling cultural events
like Aam ki Kahaani-Awaam ki Zubaani, Zikr-E-Aam, Qissagoi on Aam, local folk
music and dances and the Mango Food Festival with top Lucknow restaurants and
home chefs participating. There’d be Cooking Contest judged by Masterchef
Pankaj Bhadouria, JD Institute Lucknow showcasing Mango influence in design,
rural innovators by Swatantra Talim, Jams made by rural self help group,
Saidanpuri enabled by Awadh Mango Growers and Baankeloom as highlights of the event.

And if that isn’t enough a reason, you would also get to
indulge in Mango Pakoris, Kulfi,
Salsa, Souffle, Pickles and Drinks, apart from regular fun shows like rope
swings, horse rides, quizzes and contests.

What you must watch out for?

(1) The Summer Heat: This is the peak of summer season
in Uttar Pradesh and with the unforgiving sunny weather, do take precautions
before staying outdoors for long. Use sunscreen, wear loose cotton dresses
coupled with sunglasses and a hat for added protection, keep yourself hydrated
and take shelter of the indoor activities in the festival between 12 noon to 3
pm.

(2) Park your car safely: The festival attracts huge
crowd often leading to a long queue in the parking zone, especially during
evenings. Be patient and park your vehicle only in the zone identified to avoid
chaotic condition.

(3) Prior registration for the contests: If you want
to participate in any of the contests being organised at the festival, do send
in your names to the Organisers beforehand. (Quick link for online registration is here.) The on-spot registration counter is often found crowded and you might have a
tough time getting through.

( (4) Experiment with care: The array of unlimited
display of mangoes at reasonable prices gets so tempting that one does not want
to miss any bulk purchasing. Don’t miss interacting with the vendors about the
durability of freshness of bulk purchasing, if made, and simultaneously be wise
in your picks.

This summer season, there can’t be a better way to relive old memories and create new ones
with your children. Why, does it not take just Two To Mango? Go, Relish!

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